Q I am employed as a driver for the "C Home
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Ctelce, one of my duties being to drive a 44-seater coach.
I was told that it would be a good idea for me to take a public service vehicle driving test. However, when I applied to do so to the Northern traffic area at Newcastle, I was told that it was not possible to take the test on our coach because it is not licensed as a psi,. I do not understand this because it is a passenger-carrying vehicle and I have been told that RAF drivers have been taking tests on similar types of coach.
A It is important to realize that, accord
ing to the law, whether a vehicle is licensed as a psv or not depends entirely upon its use. If the vehicle is not used for carrying fare-paying passengers then it will not be licensed as a psv. If, as seems likely, your vehicle falls into this category the Northern traffic area is quite right in refusing you a test on your vehicle. The RAF may take tests on the same type of vehicle because they carry fare-paying passengers. Their coaches would then be licensed as psv.
The alternative left open to you is to take a test with one of the commercial driving schools and use its vehicle.